Towson playoff football on ESPN2 Friday night vs. Eastern Illinois

Towson running backs Darius Victor, left, and Terrance West and the Tigers board buses for their trip to Charleston, Ill.

A crowd of fans cheered on head coach Rob Ambrose and the Towson Tigers as they boarded buses headed to Charleston, Ill., for their FCS playoff match-up Friday night against the No. 2 Eastern Illinois Panthers.

The seventh-seeded Tigers defeated Fordham last Saturday at Johnny Unitas Stadium, 48-28. They’ll face a second-seed team that routed Tennessee State 51-10.

Friday’s game features two Walter Payton Award finalists in record-setting Towson running back Terrance West and Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garappolo. The Payton Award honors the best player in the FCS.

ESPN2 will broadcast the game Friday at 8 p.m. Towson Athletics will host a viewing party on campus at Bill Bateman’s Bistro, on the first floor of the 7800 York Road Building, beginning at 7:30 p.m. All of the TVs in the restaurant will be tuned to the game, and patrons who say “uproar” when they order five wings will receive an additional five wings for free. Beverage specials will be available.